Ross Barkley Injury: Not fit for EPL opener

Barkley won't be available to face Newcastle United on Saturday due to a lack of fitness, manager Unai Emery told media Friday. "Barkley is not fit."

Emery didn't deliver a lot of details regarding Barkley's lack of fitness, though the fact that he didn't call him an injured player, as he did with Andres Garcia (undisclosed), suggests Barkley might be closer to a return than the Spanish defender. Barkley missed the pre-season trip to the U.S. and the team's three subsequent friendlies due to an injury. Barkley's next chance to play will come against Brentford on the road on Aug. 23.